Virtually Pets
In the last Pet Projects, titled “Please Help Us Help Them”, we discussed the plight of animals in open-admission shelters (i.e., shelters that use euthanasia when there’s no room left for pets). As long as people don’t spay and neuter their pets for whatever reason, cats and dogs will continue to fill the shelter. And so will rabbits and an assortment of other creatures. Add to this the people that abandon their good pets or leave them at the shelter because of an unplanned incident, and you get an even larger shelter population and more difficulty homing them. Rescues are reaching their limit as well.
Every chance I get, I’m making my own effort to help the shelter staff and rescues rehome these little victims. Here are two more.
Marie (ID#A596627)is a brown tabby with an expressive face and a tendency to butt heads. She is 10 years old and is urgently in need of a hospice/foster. Can you help?
No, it isn’t just cats, dogs and rabbits. This is Legolas (ID#A597731), a year-and-a-half-old American guinea pig whose owners moved and for some reason didn’t take the little girl with them. So they surrendered her.
Guinea pigs may be smaller than cats and dogs, but they also need specialized care—diet that includes lots of greens, enough space to run around in (don’t confine them to the wheel), clean cages, and careful, loving handling. They also require veterinary care from a clinic that treats cavys, which is the family to which guinea pigs belong. Luckily, we have one here—Dr. William Ridgeway at our very own Long Beach Animal Hospital. They’re also happier with a same-species companion. If you want to take Legolas home and do a social meetup with another g.p., Petfinder.com can give you some direction.
These pets are available along with too many others at Long Beach Animal Care Services, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park. No parking fee for shelter visitors. Senior pets (over 7 years old) will receive $25 toward a meal at Thai Silkrestaurant. Bring adoption papers.
Places to Go, Pets to Support
Pet Adoption Event at PFE
Saturday, October 7, 11:00AM–3:00PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Adoption fees apply
Find your new BFF and everything that he or she could ever want or need, in one place. Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) and other rescues will be bringing some wonderful dogs ready to go home with their new people. Everything is high quality at Pet Food Express, and that includes the adoptive pets! Check out the Cat Adoption Center, featuring fine felines from Long Beach Animal Care Services and Stray Cat Alliance.
Fix Long Beach Free Spay/Neuter Clinic
Saturday, October 14, 7:30AM–4:00PM, Houghton Park, 6500 Atlantic Avenue (near Jordan High), Long Beach
Free to qualifying residents; free microchips; low-cost shots ($10 each); $10 flea med doses
The grassroots free spay/neuter organization Fix Long Beach invites you to make an appointment for your unfixed dog, or get vouchers for free procedures for your dog or cat! These clinics are generously sponsored through Hope for Paws and Eldad Hagar.
Visit this link for qualifications and an application for your appointment. There is also a donation button to help Fix Long Beach continue their efforts. Click the organization’s Amazon Wish List link to donate items, or bring them to the event if you find a better deal!
Let’s continue to help make Long Beach no kill, one pet at a time!
Subaru Loves Pets Fee-Waived Adoption Event
Saturday, October 14, 11:00AM–3:00PM, Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS), 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach
Adoption fees waived.
Thanks to a generous grant from ASPCA, ACS is partnering with Timmons Subaru of Long Beach to bring you the Subaru Loves Pets fee-waived adoption event. Take the opportunity to save a life!
Halloween Pet Photo Fund-Raiser
Saturday, October 14, and Sunday, October 15, 11:00AM–5:00PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Donation basis; adoption fees apply
Peek-a-boo! We’re watchin’ you! The Little Lion Foundation and Live Love Animal Rescue present a howling Halloween fund-raiser and adoption event for you and your pet. There are two backdrops to choose from, so get those costumes ready and make sure to bring your furry family member and get their 2017 Halloween/fall photos! There will be a dog costume contest at 1:00PM on Saturday and a cat costume contest at 1:00PM on Sunday. You’ll support these tireless rescues and the pets at the same time! Hope to see you there!
16th Annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 15, 5:45PM, Granada Avenue Boat Launch at Rosie’s Dog Beach, 1 Granada Avenue, Long Beach
Free event
Dogs, cats, bunnies, hissing cockroaches, serpents of all sizes, chickens, horsies, ducks, parrots, komodo dragons—all are welcome to be blessed by clergy of various faiths. Of course, they come blessed already, but this beautiful event reminds us of this every year. More than 300 animals from homes and farms—and of course, the ones already in the ocean—will be in attendance. The procession of the farm animals and clergy down the 100-foot red carpet starts at 5:45PM, and the approximately. 30-minute ceremony takes place as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean—quite a picturesque site at this time of year. The event is sponsored by Justin Rudd’s nonprofit Community Action Team (CAT) and Haute Dogs. All well-behaved pets are welcome; if your pet chooses not to come or has passed on, please bring a photo. Note: The city government requires all pets to have proof of rabies vaccination; please bring the paperwork.
There will be a moment of blessing, silence and vigil at the beginning of the service for pets who are unfortunately involved with sport dog fighting and other inhumane, unethical treatment.
Dr. Greg Perrault, owner of Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital, will be the official on-site vet during this blessing of the animals. Free parking after 6:00PM in the beachfront lot in the metered spaces. Non-metered spaces charge $1/hour. Street parking is free. More information available here.
CatPAWS Italian Restaurant Fund-Raiser
Monday, October 16, 11:00AM–10:00PM, Domenico’s Italian Restaurant, 5339 East Second Street, Long Beach
Menu prices apply
Funiculi, funicula! Joy is everywhere, because you get to eat Italian food in one of Long Beach’s most venerable restaurants and the owners will give 25 percent of the tab to Helen Sanders CatPAWS will be hosting a fundraiser at Domenico’s Italian Restaurant in Long Beach! Help this great group raise money for cats in need while enjoying your favorite pizza, pasta, and salad, either dine-in or takeout! Please bring above flier!
K9’s Uncorked Benefit for the Pups
Saturday, October 21, 5:00PM–8:00PM, Harvey Girls Gallery, 130 ½ Main Street, Seal Beach
Ticket prices $35 online, $40 at door
Who doesn’t love wine and food? Better yet, who doesn’t love animals? Join the K9 Kismet rescue for the fund-raising party of the year in the eclectic little beach community of Seal Beach! In addition to wine and food (human and dog) tastings, we will have live jazz music, adoptable dogs, a silent auction, a raffle, boutique shopping and a glass-etching class (bring your own wineglass)! Costume up yourself and your dog, and come on and paw-ty! Sponsorship donation and tickets can be purchased here or at two Seal Beach locations: Harvey Girls Gallery 130 1/2 Main St. or Ever After Skin Care, 550 Pacific Coast Highway, #211 (upstairs).You do not want to miss this one!
Friends of El Dorado Park’s Holiday Bone-anza
Sunday, November 19, 10:00AM–4:00PM, Good Neighbor Park, 2800 Studebaker Road, Long Beach
Free to attend
This year’s Bone-anza will be a fun-filled event featuring food trucks, vendors for your holiday shopping, contests, a DJ featuring Christmas sounds, elves, your doggie’s photo with Santa, and a silent auction and a raffle featuring great gifts from our sponsors. All proceeds from both the calendar (see Countin the Days in Humane Ways) and the event will go to support enhancements of the El Dorado Dog Park.
Ongoing
Free Pet Food Distributions
Papa, a big “teddy bear’ of a dog, sits with his human in Ashlee’s Pet Care station at Beacon for Him.
Beacon for Him has extended an outreach for people experiencing homelessness and their pets. Pet food, primarily dog food, is available at their facility at 439 West Anaheim Street, Mondays from 9:00AM to noon and Saturdays from noon to 3:00PM. A dog-washing station with a stainless-steel tub is also available onsite at these hours. Donations and supplies such as shampoo, flea control and, of course, pet food are always gratefully accepted.
The Pet Food Bank is sponsored by Christian Outreach in Action. COA is located at 515 E 3rd St, Long Beach. Hours are Thursday from 9:00AM to 11:00AM.
Feline Good Social Club Indiegogo Fundraiser
Click here to donate
Help us get a cat cafe in Long Beach! This troop of dedicated rescuers are requesting funds to open a place where cat lovers can commune with felines strolling the premises, sip a beverage, munch a pastry, maybe read the book or newspaper, and pretend that they’re in a cottage in Maine waiting for Jessica Fletcher to ring the bell. This will be a great addition and will also help to get the kitties adopted–who can resist a bond forged over coffee?
Shelter-Enrichment Supplies Needed for ACS Dogs!
Drop-off: Wednesdays through Fridays, 10:00AM–5:30PM and Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00AM–4:00PM, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach
Individual donations requested
ACS is continuing our kennel enrichment activities for our canine guests here and could use so more donations (there are plenty for the cats!). Here is what’s needed:
- creamy peanut butter
- yogurt
- beef broth (canned or in the box)
- chicken broth (canned or in the box)
- incense
- carabiner clips (heavy duty)
- ice cube trays
Donations are tax deductible. Our pups say thanks so much!
Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) Information for Low-Cost Vaccinations and Spay/Neuter Clinics
7700 East Spring Street at entrance to El Dorado Park (no fee for shelter visitors), Long Beach
Prices vary
Vouchers that take a big bite, so to speak, out of the cost of spay/neuter procedures are available at ACS during their public hours. Visit this link for information on clinics that accept the vouchers and for other spay/neuter assistance.
For low-cost vaccines, visit this link. Note that pet owners must be 18 years or older, all pets must be on leashes or in carriers, and only healthy and non-pregnant animals will be vaccinated. Please bring prior vaccination information with you to the clinic. Vaccination and microchip services are provided for pets residing in any city. Licensing is provided for residents within our jurisdiction at Saturday clinics; please bring your renewal notice and rabies certificate with you.